One of the paragraphs that really hit me was this chunk:
One of my greatest disappointments with the church is this - HONESTY. Instead of saying "I don't know. Maybe we can work something out" or "Let us read up more, discuss this issue and grow together", they resort to:
- Labeling you a heretic
- Labeling you as a problem member who's trying to find problems by asking difficult questions
- Labeling you an in-submissive member who wouldn't flow along with their culture
The leaders I respect the most are those that will honestly and lovingly sit you down and discuss the issues HONESTLY with you instead of classifying you a "terrorist" in this "holy" organization.
Churches I've been to and stories I've heard from church members are all heavily laden with leaders failing to be honest. All they do is second-guess people's intention in asking questions and passing judgement on them.
21st century churches are filled with Pharisees, out there trying to uphold a religion and trying to maintain their church's brand name instead of loving their sheep and being there for them even when they've messed up.
Because of the actions and in-actions of these leaders, it resorts in members recoiling from the church, causing them to feel shameful.
Churches have long been heaving stigmas onto people that Jesus would never have through their mis-handling of situations and through their spoken and unspoken words and deeds.
No church is perfect. But where imperfection abounds, honesty should be the next most commonplace virtue. Sadly, even honesty and authenticity is lost in the sea of church branding and trying to uphold a pretty picture of the church.
Jesus came to bring about change, not leave a pretty picture of a happy church with all smiley faces. And this is the greatest barrier that's keeping the world from entering the church - the lack of authenticity.
Yup, may God continue to do a work in His church and open the eyes and move the hearts of church leaders worldwide to see the true purpose and calling of the church in this world today.
"Yet hiding behind our friendly smiles and polite pleasantries are real life issues; the ones that don’t fit neatly into everyday conversations. Churches preach the benefits of living in community, yet we somehow forget that living in true community is guaranteed to be messy and complicated. While we talk of authenticity, Church often remains a place where you can’t be honest.
Church should be a place muddled with honesty and real-life messiness. And it should be a place where a shame-filled person can find relief. It should be a place where shame loses its power.
The truth is that there is no place for shame in the Church, not because we’re trying to keep up appearances, but because our shame has been taken to the Cross and can be left there."This is the sad truth about churches today. Leaders don't know how to handle the tacky, controversial and taboo-laden issues that plague today's society.
The best part is, they lack HONESTY. It's fine if you can't give a good answer. But it's not fine if you avoid it, ignore it and try to sweep it under the carpet.
One of my greatest disappointments with the church is this - HONESTY. Instead of saying "I don't know. Maybe we can work something out" or "Let us read up more, discuss this issue and grow together", they resort to:
- Labeling you a heretic
- Labeling you as a problem member who's trying to find problems by asking difficult questions
- Labeling you an in-submissive member who wouldn't flow along with their culture
The leaders I respect the most are those that will honestly and lovingly sit you down and discuss the issues HONESTLY with you instead of classifying you a "terrorist" in this "holy" organization.
Churches I've been to and stories I've heard from church members are all heavily laden with leaders failing to be honest. All they do is second-guess people's intention in asking questions and passing judgement on them.
21st century churches are filled with Pharisees, out there trying to uphold a religion and trying to maintain their church's brand name instead of loving their sheep and being there for them even when they've messed up.
Because of the actions and in-actions of these leaders, it resorts in members recoiling from the church, causing them to feel shameful.
Churches have long been heaving stigmas onto people that Jesus would never have through their mis-handling of situations and through their spoken and unspoken words and deeds.
No church is perfect. But where imperfection abounds, honesty should be the next most commonplace virtue. Sadly, even honesty and authenticity is lost in the sea of church branding and trying to uphold a pretty picture of the church.
Jesus came to bring about change, not leave a pretty picture of a happy church with all smiley faces. And this is the greatest barrier that's keeping the world from entering the church - the lack of authenticity.
Yup, may God continue to do a work in His church and open the eyes and move the hearts of church leaders worldwide to see the true purpose and calling of the church in this world today.
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